The Garden @ the Lodge

Left the lake cottage yesterday for some Concord errands and music lesson, and an overnight at the Lodge.

As I was having breakfast, I heard my all-time favourite author interviewed by the BBC. It was such a happy surprise, because she's not at all well known, although her nonfiction work (a biography) received great acclaim. One of her novels changed my life, and over the years I've collected her backlist, all except her volume of poetry. For a very long time I've had fantasies about running into her on the streets of London and falling at her feet in worship...for now I'll simply rejoice at the unexpected radio interview. I just wish the presenter had asked what she's working on now.

No, I'm not telling who she is. Sorry. Some things are meant to stay private.

Also this morning I wandered through my garden.

Lilac and lilac lover.



Purple lupine. (The bumblebee was camera-shy.)



Reliably the first of my roses to bloom, Double Blush Burnet, my favourite Scotch rose.



However, this year it was beaten to the post by Therese Bugnet, a towering rugosa hybrid.



I saw plenty of roses, rugosas and other sorts, round Concord yesterday. Everybody else's lilacs are spent, but mine is a late-blooming species. I cut many many fronds--armfuls, in fact--to scent the cottage. And some of my roses roses and ox-eye daisies, too.

I bought a passiflora to grow on the porch, called "Perfumed Passion." According to the photo on the tag, it's not as luxuriously fringed as my beloved species version at the other house, but I look forward to seeing the flowers it produces. I thought it was good value for money, it's a very mature plant and came with its own little trellis, so its already trained.

When the dogs and I arrived, we went down to the water to feed Walter the fish. The water temperature is up to 68 degrees F. We sat at the end of the dock and I dipped my toes in--the surface water is quite warm, probably in the 70s. We cuddled and enjoyed the lovely view and the peace and quiet of the lake...which will be short-lived, as it's a holiday weekend and lots of weekenders and summer people will be launching their boats and jet skiis.

Looking forward to the Chap's arrival and receiving visitors tomorrow.